Today, I sit here thinking about all the 4th of July's I have celebrated. And all the sound of fireworks going off and the families grilling, barbecuing and having such a great time. This is also the month of my 37th wedding anniversary and my upcoming 61st birthday. Truly, I am thankful if God's will to celebrate 61 years, this will be the age I turn on July 19th. Also, I recall those things I have treasured over the years of celebrating our nation's independence.
As the nation aged, I recognized I have also aged too. Each year I am celebrating a year of being blessed to be older or as I say seasoned. I too celebrate the years of maturing, when I reflect back to all the immature things as a youngster, or should I say risky things I have done in my youth; like swinging in a swing so high and feeling the adrenaline rush the higher I swung. And at the peak of the highness in the air that I decided to leap out of the seat into midair. Typically, not even worrying about the injuries that could happen, or the worried look on my mother's face or hearing sounds of someone yelling you are going to hurt yourself. Only to get up from the ground to brush myself off to do it over, and over again. I remember the first Nova car my father purchase for my sister and me. I recalled all the furniture my mother made us polish on chore day; we polish so much we would hide the liquid pledge (oh at least I did); it makes me chuckle now the amount of wood that needed polishing. I would say when I become an adult that I refused to polish furniture ever again (Giggle...but I do polish). I recalled all the years from elementary, middle and to my high school graduation. I recall the meeting my hubby and having my first child. This day had me thinking of years past. Why? Holidays just do that to me, especially at Christmastime.
In all of recalling my younger years, I now have reach maturity, and I did not realize that I was aging in the process. When I realized I had aged, it was my 50th birthday, I even recalled saying I have lived half of my life. Now, do not get me wrong fifty is not old by all means. It was just shocking to me at the time. It left me mystified. It had me panicking, it had me wondering what I was going to do with the other half of my life. I had not focus on that I was aging while in my youth, mid-adult life, and before I realized it, I was fifty years of age.
After, pondering, over the fifty-year fork in the road for several weeks. I desired to leave a legacy, just like we celebrate the legacy of the 4th of July every year. However, I needed to make sure the legacy that I leave would be spiritual, meaningful and impactful for my family in years to come. I started asking God for wisdom, just like Soloman. The closer I got to God, I felt more of God embracing me by speaking to my heart and showing me strategies on how to move forward with my life. And believe you me I opened to what God had for me in my new season. I had never been more guided by God's word in this season for my life.
Now I sit here celebrating graying with grace and aging with grace, more wisdom with grace (I have the gray hairs to prove it). I know no longer panic about the next half of my life. Because I know God's grace brought me through the first fifty years of not understanding a thing about life. Since trusting and believing in God, it has allowed me to rediscover all the buried treasures that were never fully opened to be utilized prior to turning fifty. Now, I operate fully in my gifts that I overlooked prior to turning fifty years of age. Now, I no longer worry about aging, because I know the "Best Is Yet to Come." What is that saying..."Save the Best for Last" and I am restating it in my word that God saved my best for Last!
Note: To all the mature women and men that maybe aging, and your hair may not be the color of your youthful age anymore, you trust and believe, Grace is what has kept you here. You still have hidden treasures inside of you to share with your family or the world, it is time to release it. And as we continue to celebrate the Independence Day of this nation. You continue to celebrate yourself in the beautiful grace of aging, even when your hair no longer looks like it did in your youth. Just By knowing Jesus Christ, we will all Age with Grace.
Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life. Proverbs 16:31
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